Is There a Place for Mock Digs in Archaeological Outreach?

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Mock digs have been a staple of archaeologically-themed outreach for years but also an area of growing concern for professional archaeologists with expertise in public education. The activity is discouraged by some because it is suggestive of treasure hunting and emphasizes digging in a field that is so much more than that. While concerns about mock digs are valid, is it practical or prudent to discourage the activity? Can these energies be redirected? This paper shares the results of a survey conducted by the Archaeological Institute of America about attitudes and approaches to mock digs and explores practical responses to this ubiquitous exercise.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33390